Spring hinge



Feb. 19, 1957 H. MAJESKE SPRING HINGE Filed Aug. 25, 1954 INVENTOR //v/\y LWIJEWE,

BY 6M z. W

ATTORA- E Y Unisd Stat at 19 SPRING HINGE Henry L. Majeske, Coral Gables, Flaiyassignor to American Screen Products Co., Miami, Fla., a corporation of Florida Application August 23, 1954, Serial No. 451,482

2 Claims. (Cl. 16-180) The present invention relates generally to window screens and particularly to a combined fastener and hin therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel screen fastener and spring hinge, whereby a screen frame is held securely in the window frame in a highly simplified mannet, and whereby the frame may be readily swung outward from the window frame with a minimum expenditure of effort.

Another object is to provide a novel spring hinge formed of a single strand of wire or the like for a double hung window screen.

Still another object is to provide a novel combined fastener and spring hinge for coactive connection between a metal screen frame and a window frame mounted screen stop.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following description the invention consists of a single unit used in combination with the arrangement of the several parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: V

Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of a window frame, screen frame, and the novel fastener and spring hinge associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the combined spring hinge and fastener embodying the present invention removed from the screen.

Fig. 3 is. a side elevation view of same removed from the screen.

Fig. 4 is a partialperspective view of a window frame, screen frame therein, a screen frame stop with a small opening therein, a window screen with a slotted frame portion adjacent the stop opening, and also of the present novel fastener and spring hinge mounted in operative position in the screen slot and frame stop opening.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the window swung outwardly with the spring portion expanded by the action, to thereby retain the head of the frame against the top bar of the window frame, a portion of the wire screen being removed in each of Figs. 4 and 5 for visibility of the fastener hinge which is disposed behind the Wire screen.

Referring in detail to the several views, the novel screen fastener and hinge generally designated as C, comprises a single strand of wire properly tempered to be shape reraining and having a yieldable and resilient coil of one or more loops, which extend into adjacently parallel legs 12 and 13, respectively, see Figs. 2 and 3. The free end of each leg'is formed into fastener portions. For example, leg 12 is shorter than leg 13 and is formed into a hook 14 which is disposed at the side of leg 12 opposed to coil 10 and which includes a base portion 14*- project ing laterally from the lower end of leg 12 in parallelism with the axis of coil 10, a vertical portion 14 projecting from the outer end of portion 14*- in parallelism with leg 12 and a resilient nib portion 15 projecting from the upper end of portion 14 toward said leg 12 and being p 2,781,543 I Patented 19 1951 normally in upwardly diverging relation relative to base portion 14. The longer leg 13 is looped at 16a'n'd twisted so as'to provide a transversely extending rod 17 below and slightly offset with respect to the hook 14 of the leg 12. It is of course to be understood that a pair of the spring hinges are used, that is, one for each side of the screen as is indicated in Fig. l.

When the device is used the hook 14 of the combination fastener and spring hinge C is inserted in a slot 18 formed in the side of a hollow window screen frame B, see Figs. 4 and 5. This slot 18 is formed near the top of the side bars of frame B adjacent the screen material 19 on each side of the frame, so that the reverse end of the nib portion 15 catches inside the hollow frame side part and locks therein. When a spring hinge C is thus mounted or attached to the screen frame, the same may be mounted in the window frame A by fitting or inserting the offset end of the rod 17 in an aperture 20 formed in the screen frame stop D suitably mounted within the main window frame A. These apertures 20 are rearwardly adjacent the position of the screen frame slots when the screen frame B is placed in the window frame A, and the coil 10 of each hinge C extends laterally over the wire mesh of the screen, so as to have freedom for expansion. Now when the screen is pulled outwardly away from the bottom of the screen stop D, the coils 10 expand and bias the upper frame bar 21 into constant contact with the top cross piece 22 of the window frame A. This head to head contact between the screen frame top bar 21 and the top cross piece 22 serves as a fixed fulcrum during the opening of the screen, should it be desired to open the same temporarily for one reason or another.

Without further description it is believed the operation is clearly understandable and while only one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that other arrangements of parts and combinations thereof may be made by others skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. To determine the scope of my invert tion reference should be had to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for hingedly connecting a screen frame to a window frame and wherein said screen frame is provided with a vertically elongated slot opening inwardly toward the center thereof, and wherein said window frame is provided with an aperture opening inwardly toward the center thereof; comprising a unitary member formed from a single strand of resilient material, the said member comprising a coil, a pair of legs extending in the same direction from opposite ends of the coil and terminating in lateral extensions, one of said legs being shorter than the other and the said extension thereof being of hook form for reception within the slot in said screen frame and the extension of the longer leg being straight and being removably engageable within the aperture in said window frame, said legs being disposed at one end of said coil and the longer leg being provided with a finger engageable manipulating loop from which said straight extension extends.

2. A device for hingedly connecting a screen frame to a window frame and wherein said screen frame is provided with a vertically elongated slot opening inwardly toward the center thereof and wherein said window frame is provided with an aperture opening inwardly toward the center thereof; comprising a unitary member formed from a single strand of resilientmaterial, the said member comprisinga coil, a pair of legs extending in the same direction from opposite ends of the coil and terminating in lateral extensions, one of said legs being shorter than the other and the said lateral extension thereof being of hook 3 4 form and including a base portion projecting from the being removably engageable in the aperture in said winlower end of the said last leg at right angles thereto, a dow frame. n vertical portion extending from the end of said base portion in parallel relation to said last leg and a nib .portion Ref Cited in the fil of this patent extending from the upper end of said vertical portion in a upwardly divergingrelation to said 'base portion and hav- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing a free end in spaced relation to said last leg, said 299,400 Kelsey May 27, 1884 hook-form extension being-engageable in said slot in said 720,120 Elges Feb. 10, 1903 screen frame, and theextension of the longer leg being 1,689,826 Grininger Oct. 30, 1928 straight and substantially normal to the longer leg and 10 1,825,595 Ko'hl Sept. 29, 1931 

